Like Billy Pilgrim...

After a long day on the train, Rachel, Tommy, Annie and I have made it to Dresden. We actually ended up sharing the train with several of our compatriots from the Goethe Institut who were heading back home, so the first train ride was a nice sort of unexpected reunion.

It still hasn`t quite hit me that I`m spending the night in the city where Kurt Vonnegut was held as a prisoner of war. This may be because Dresden is something of an ultramodern city (having been almost completely destroyed by a British/American bombing raid during WWII and since rebuilt).

We spent about 6 hours on the train and then checked into our hostel at the "Mondpalast" (Moon Palace). This place is nothing like I expected a hostel to be... it`s quite modern, well decorated and has a bar/restaurant attached. We recieved breakfast vouchers with our stay along with a discount card for cocktails and beer. And, of course, there`s an internet café built in. Why stay in a hotel (other than to have a room for yourself)?

We had dinner at an Italian place and then walked around the city briefly just to get a first look. As I said, much of Dresden is very modern, both archetecturally and technologically, but there are also several romantically lit churches dotting the lanscape that cast a neat sort of reflection on the Elbe. The city has a very quiet, very fast, very punctual streetcar system which makes it very easy to get around. Dresden also has a lot more young people than Schwäbisch Hall and there seems to be quite a big night-life here. German youth are... interesting to say the least. They seem to be stuck in the 80`s as far as fashion is concerned.

In any case, that is all for now. Until the next int0rnet cafe...